Amelanchier canadensis is native to Canada (as the specific epithet suggests), and in its native environment is prized for its berries that mature in June  and are packed with vitamins and have been termed as one of the ‘super foods’. Perfectly hardy  and tolerant of the hot dry summers here it is a super choice as a large shrub or small tree for your garden. The fruits are similar in size and taste to a blueberry and can be used as a substitute for blueberries in fruit salads, cakes, sprinkled on your  breakfast,  if you get a bumper crop you can make jams and jellies and even June berry Gin – use the same quantities and method as for making sloe gin.

Not only does it produce an edible crop of tasty fruits but it is an attractive ornamental plant too, the first new leaves have a coppery tint and the early white blossom covers the tree in early to mid-spring. In autumn the leaves turn brilliant red adding a third season of interest. It is low maintenance, requiring no specialist pruning – just the removal of dead, damaged or diseased material and any crossing, rubbing branches.

You can grow it as a standard tree where it will develop a neat, rounded crown or as a multi-stemmed shrub for a lower, more dense effect.

We have Amelanchier canadensis plants for sale at La Petite Pépinière at Le Jardin Créatif and a mature specimen to see in our demonstration garden. We will be offering tastings when the berries are ripe – hopefully for our Jardins Ouverts day on 23rd June!

Le Jardin Créatif are now offering workshops in Metal Art. You can come and create a simple piece using the plasma cutter and/or welding. We also make custom panels, signs and sculptures to order.

On our half day workshops you will be guided through the process step by step to make a unique piece for your garden, home or business. Sessions will be one to one or two people maximum, to be arranged as bespoke workshops.

See our new page on the website for more details: Bespoke Metal Art

Just a reminder that the nursery will close early this Saturday. We will have to close at 2.00pm on 18th May (for this week only)

We have our usual range of herbaceous perennials, cottage garden plants, bedding and container plants, herbs and also a range of veg plants including chilli peppers, sweet peppers, tomatoes, our heirloom curly kale mix, pac choi, chinese brocolli, rainbow chard……..

Our garden is also open for nursery customers to have a look round for inspiration. Come and see us – but before 2pm!

 I posted this recipe last year but I am sure that some of you will not have seen it. It is definitely worth a try!

All around us at the moment is the sweet aroma of the Robinia pseudoacacia (false acacia) flowers. Last summer our French neighbour recommended that we try making beignets – fritters – with them. Having tried elderflower fritters we were keen to have a go.

I made a simple light batter out of a 50/50 mix of cornflour and plain flour, beaten egg and a drop of sparkling white wine as there happened to be a bottle open! (You could use beer or sparkling water) you then dip the flowers into the batter by holding onto the main stem, let some of the excess drain off and then fry until golden in hot oil, this only takes a couple of minutes.

We served this as a savoury dish with tapas, they go nicely with a yogurt and tahini dip or a smokey chilli salsa but you can also drizzle with honey and eat as a desert with crème fresh. Yum!